Under the Harvest Moon
by Cotton Candy Mareep
Summary: Various HM characters are selected to compete in the Hunger Games, a fight to the death on national television where only one can make it out alive. What ensues is a dramatic tale of broken friendships, family bonds, and star-crossed romance. Harvest Moon Hunger Games AU; many different characters and pairings
1. Insomniac

**A/N: This is a Harvest Moon Hunger Games AU, where the Harvest Moon characters live in Panem, the setting of the Hunger Games series. This story was originally posted in the HM/HG crossovers section, but for now, I'm keeping it in the Harvest Moon archive.**

**I did write a prologue for this fanfic, but took it out because, after editing several chapters, it no longer fit in with the story. It is not related to Harvest Moon in any way, and I wanted to keep the focus on HM characters here. Instead, it has been uploaded as a separate oneshot called "Final Moments" in the Hunger Games category, so check it out if you like.**

**Edit: This chapter was rewritten to better reflect the Harvest Moon series, and for the fact that I simply didn't like how the first half had originally turned out. **

**-Cotton Candy Mareep**

* * *

Chapter 1: Insomniac

Jill Sterling awoke with a jolt, her heart pounding. Her vision swam in the darkness as she struggled to make sense of her surroundings. As her eyes grew accustomed to the dim lighting, she could just make out the faint shapes of familiar bedroom objects appearing out of the gloom.

The girl brushed a hand over her forehead, pushing back her limp brunette bangs and wiping away the beads of sweat that dotted her skin. The nightmare had been so vivid, so real… Even more so than usual, she realized. The images were still emblazoned in the back of her mind.

She was running. In her nightmare, Jill had been running through a deep, unfamiliar forest, with thorny branches that scratched at her arms and face, and snakelike vines that wrapped around her ankles. Trees tall and menacing, looming over her like great, malevolent entities. Sneering at her pathetic attempts to escape.

But she could not stop. She had to keep running, running, running. Jill shuddered as she recalled the inexorable force that pushed her onward through the trees.

She was being pursued. She could hear their footsteps echoing behind her, some dark forms that chased her relentlessly through the woods, until she could run no further. She doubled over in pain, her chest heaving, breath coming out in rattled gasps. They surrounded her, and she could feel their smoldering gazes burning right through her skin, their cruel, heartless laughter ringing in her ears as they discussed ways to kill her in cold blood.

Slit her throat, snap her neck, light her on fire and watch her burn alive-

No, no, _no_.

Taking a deep breath, Jill rolled over in bed, tugging the blankets up with her. Her eyelids fluttered as she struggled to keep them shut.

Hearing a loud snore from the bunk above her, Jill released a sigh. So that was what had awoken her from her nightmare… no surprises there. One would think she would get used to such a sound, after sharing a room with him for as long as she could remember. But no. There was no way she was going to fall back asleep now; not if Jack was to keep snoring like a drunken bear. He probably had the loudest snores in all of District One.

Jill knocked lightly on the bottom of the higher bunk, where her twin brother was fast asleep. Oh, how she wished she could sleep as peacefully as he.

"Jack?" No response. She tried again.

"Hey, Jack…"

"Huh…? Whuh-?" He answered her groggily, confused and half asleep. Jill instantly felt bad for waking him, especially for something so childish.

"Sorry… It-it's nothing…"

A face appeared over the edge of the bunk bed, staring down at her with sleepy eyes. "You sure?"

Jill looked away. "Just a dream…"

"What about?" But of course he was sure that he already knew. What else could her nightmares be about, especially at this time of year?

"The arena." Her voice went quiet, as she added in a whisper, "It's always the arena."

Jack went completely silent. After a few minutes of waiting, Jill stretched up to sneak a glance at him- he had fallen back asleep. Lucky boy. Jill settled back down onto her bed, staring at the wooden bottom of the bunk over her head.

The Reapings were tomorrow. _Tomorrow_. Today, actually, seeing as it was already nearing one o'clock in the morning. A wave of nausea rose up in her stomach, but she managed to keep it down.

She and her brother had each turned fifteen this year; this would be their fourth eligible Reaping. Her fourth chance to be called into the Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live national television.

Not that she would actually have to go into the arena, even if she _were _Reaped. Plenty of other teenagers in her District scrambled at the chance to volunteer for such an opportunity. But backing down from the challenge would only lead to ridicule.

And then there was Claire, her older sister… this was her sixth Reaping. She had just turned seventeen. Her name was in the Reaping bowl more than Jill's was, or Jack's…

But she had to stop thinking like that, Jill scolded herself. It would only drive her insane with anxiety.

Jill knew what had caused her nightmare. It was the same thing every time. After dinner, she had watched an old Hunger Games on the television. She didn't really want to watch it, but something about this Games in particular… pulled her in. It was last year's Hunger Games, the Quarter Quell where twice the regular amount of tributes were sent to the arena. Double the excitement, double the deaths, they said.

It fascinated her, despite her deep disgust for the Hunger Games. She was fearful of them, and yet they consumed her every thought. Ironic.

Jill pressed her face against the pillow as she recalled scenes from the last Games she had watched. The tall girl with the axe, pretty but deadly, and the injured boy from a poor District who won the Games… one girl was stabbed to death by a flock of vicious birds with razor-sharp beaks, another practically eaten alive by a pack of carnivorous squirrels…

They were all just like her. Teenagers. Or at least, they _used_ to be. Jill wanted to vomit.

She had seen them all barely a year ago as she observed them on the television screen with her family, safe at home while they killed each other in the arena. And again, during the Victory Tour, when she listened as the Victor… Haymitch, was his name… gave some stupid pre-scripted speech in front of her entire District. He was only a year or two older than her at most, a scrawny District Twelve boy. He didn't look like a killer.

Jill knew the District One tributes were supposed to be strong and brave and beautiful and all that (at least, that's what everyone always told her), seeing as they made up the Career tributes, but _she_ was not. Not at all.

Jillian Sterling was about the furthest thing from a Career as one can get.

In all honesty, if she were chosen, she would be screwed. Sure, she had some basic training like most of the Reaping-age in District One, but mainly stuff to do with fighting techniques. She had never even used any real weapons before- in fact, the closest thing to a weapon she had ever used was a simple kitchen knife. She would be utterly hopeless with a sword, or a bow, or an axe.

However, many in her District, it seemed, saw the Hunger Games simply as a contest. They actually trained _specifically_ for the Games, although that was technically illegal, and even volunteered to go into the arena themselves. They saw the fame, the riches, the glory in winning.

But Jill only saw the deaths.

She sat in that dark room for what seemed like hours, though in actuality it had only been a matter of minutes. Dark images raced across her mind, and flashes of bright red blood. Horrible things.

Shuddering slightly, Jill drew the blanket up over her body, curling up tighter so as to keep her bare feet within its warmth. However, she wasn't cold. It was a relatively warm night, after all. She just liked the sense of security the soft, warm fabric gave her for the time being as it settled over her skin.

She closed her eyes, wishing to fall asleep quickly and easily, but the dreamless slumber she so desired didn't come. Instead, her eyes popped back open, and she stifled a sigh.

She needed to do something, anything to take her mind off things, so she decided to take a walk outside in the fresh air. At least it was a nice night.

* * *

Opening the door quietly so nobody else in the house would hear, Jill stepped out into the crisp night air and took a deep breath. She hadn't even realized just how much she was sweating until now. Her bangs were practically slicked to her forehead, not that it really mattered. Nobody to impress out here, after all. Not in the middle of the night.

Jill slowly made her way through the small plot of land in front of the house, careful not to step on any of the plants growing in Claire's garden. Claire would never forgive her if she treaded on her precious tomatoes.

This was a nightly ritual for Jill. After struggling to fall asleep and stay asleep, she would finally give up and leave, taking a walk through the dimly lit streets when the weather permitted. That nightly outing always helped to ease her troubled mind, at the very least.

But she could never let anyone know. Her nightmares, her insecurities, her fears. That would just be admitting weakness, something that everyone in the District frowned upon.

Jill didn't expect to see anyone else out on the streets that night. She rarely ever saw another living soul on these nighttime forays, considering that her family lived in one of the relatively nice neighborhoods in District One, where nightwalkers and the homeless were scarce. She wouldn't dare wander in _those_ neighborhoods alone, if she could help it. Especially after dark.

But to her surprise, she did see something different that night.

As she made her way down the road, a flash of pale _something_ flitted just out of her line of sight, and her heartbeat quickened. She turned toward the direction of the shape just in time to see someone climb through the window of a nearby house. Quickly, but with a sort of cat-like grace, the mysterious figure lifted the pane just enough for him or her to fit through.

A chill ran down her spine as she realized that was _her_ house. She froze in shock and disbelief.

The figure made it through the window without a sound, and Jill was left wondering whether she had actually seen anything in the first place. A certain rumor took prominence in her mind, and suddenly she was torn between fascination and fear. Could it be…?

The Prince of the Stars, the mysterious Phantom Skye.

Everyone at school talked about him. Jill often heard their whispering; one girl, one of the pretty blonde gossip queens of the school, even brought one of his supposed notes to class, signed by the Prince of the Stars himself. She even told everyone how her mother's precious diamond pendant had gone missing that same night.

Jill had caught a glimpse of the note as the girl passed it on to one of her equally gossipy friends. If it was all true, then that Phantom Skye really did have nice handwriting.

Phantom Skye had become a bit of a District One legend, you could say. He was a thief, but he wasn't just any old thief. Everyone seemed to know about him, yes, and many people claimed that he had broken into their houses and stolen their riches.

Apparently, he didn't just break into houses and steal stuff. He would leave a note beforehand, warning the owner of their soon-to-be loss. But despite the evidence, he had never been caught in the act. Somehow, he always managed to slip away, unharmed and unpunished. Like a phantom.

And, as Jill recalled, he was also extremely attractive. At least, that's what the girls at school said. Jill had never seen him herself, so she had no clue what he might have truly looked like. In fact, most of them probably hadn't, either. Almost nobody had actually seen him, _especially_ not in the act.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden noise, and she looked up to spot _someone_ coming out that same window, a small brown bag of some sort clutched in the figure's hand. She caught a flash of silvery hair in the moonlight, and her eyes widened.

He hadn't noticed her, and was just about to turn and run off when she called out, somewhat unwisely, "Hey… stop!"

The figure stopped in his tracks and turned to look at the small brunette girl staring defiantly at him, her arms crossed. She blushed, unsure of herself, and a smirk crossed his face. Jill could _swear_ he was laughing at her.

To her surprise, the strange trespasser actually chose to approach her, and she shrunk backward a few steps. What if he tried to hurt her?

The boy, Jill realized, was around the same age as herself, though distinctly more good-looking. He had blue-green eyes that seemed to pierce straight through her soul, and somewhere in the back of her mind Jill remembered that _this_ was the so-called Prince of the Stars, Phantom Thief Skye. What a ridiculous title.

Finally, recalling every ounce of courage she had left in her, Jill uttered a single question. "What are you doing?"

The Prince of the Stars said nothing, but gestured toward the small cloth pouch clutched in his left hand with a smirk. Within the folds of the brown fabric, Jill could catch a glimpse of something sparkling and shimmering in the light of the moon. Jewelry.

"What are you doing with that?" She glared at him accusingly, hoping she looked relatively threatening and not just like some stupid teenage girl. "...You took those from _my_ house, didn't you? Those are my mother's- give it back!"

The thief shrugged, though he looked distinctly smug as he replied, "Hehe. Don't worry yourself, beautiful… I'm only _borrowing_ it."

Jill snorted incredulously, ignoring his inane compliment. "Yeah, right… because people always break into homes in the middle of the night when they want to borrow precious _jewels_."

He raised his arms in mock defense. "Hey, I didn't break in… that window was unlocked, darling. That's _your _fault."

Jill did all she could to not slap the palm of her hand against her forehead. The criminal in front of her looked lightly amused, and he took another step toward her, getting uncomfortably close, in Jill's opinion.

"What are you doing out so late, anyway?" He stepped ever closer, lifting one hand to stroke her cheek as he tilted his head to the side to look at the girl. "A beautiful maiden such as yourself shouldn't be out alone at this hour… it could be dangerous."

Okay, Jill admitted, that action made her pretty nervous. Squirming away from his touch, hiding the faint blush that was now beginning to spread over her cheeks, she chose to ignore the question and instead asked, "Are you… Phantom Skye?"

He smirked at the girl, arms crossed in front of his chest and eyes narrowed as he took a small step back. "Finally caught on, have you? Hehe... Why, yes I am, but you may simply call me Skye."

Jill snorted, hoping to hide her uneasiness. "Well, I should be getting back inside, now…"

'Skye' nodded, still staring at the girl intently. "...The Reapings are tomorrow."

"Today, technically," she corrected him automatically.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever. You should go to bed, get your beauty sleep... not that you need it." He winked at her, and Jill rolled her eyes in exasperation as she turned away.

"Um… bye, Skye."

"Goodbye, _Pony_." He put a light but unmistakable stress on the nickname, and she froze.

_Pony…_ That was the nickname her sister Claire had given her, ages ago. She had called her that ever since they were little kids. How did this Skye know…?

She shook her head. It was probably nothing. _Everyone_ seemed to call her 'Pony' nowadays, due to the telltale ponytail hairstyle she had worn ever since her earliest days in school. He probably just noticed her hair, and made up the nickname on the spot. That was it.

Jill approached the house, but turned back for one last glance at Skye once she reached the doorstep. The mysterious boy was still standing in the same spot she had left him in. She squinted at him, a strange thought entering her mind as she took in his appearance from this new angle.

"Hey… You know, you look familiar…!"

Skye shrugged before turning away, cutting her off. "Hehe. Perhaps… perhaps not. Sweet dreams, beautiful."

* * *

Jill sighed with relief as she finally reentered her home and flopped onto her bed once again, tugging the blanket back over her body before realizing, with heavy irritation, that Skye had gotten away with her mother's jewels after all. How had he managed to distract her...? How could she be so careless?

She groaned. Man, was that guy annoying. And yet… for some reason unknown to her, she couldn't get her mind off him. Why did he look so familiar? And why did his face seem to bring some memory to mind, a memory that she knew was there in the back of her consciousness, but couldn't quite put her finger on?

Jill hoped to possibly regain the memory after getting some sleep, but as it turned out, it wasn't as simple as that...

Little did she know that within the next twelve hours, her life would be changed forever.

* * *

**A/N: I started writing this story in first person POV, but decided that it was much too confusing with all the characters I'm using, so I changed it all back to third person. Maybe next time I'll use first person, when there are less character POVs, since I don't like to go over five total. **

**Chapters will be rather short, so hopefully that means updates won't take forever.** **And things will get a _lot_ more interesting and action-packed as the story goes on. Thank you for reading, any reviews would be greatly appreciated! **

**-Cotton Candy Mareep**


	2. Like Father, Like Son

**A/N: Finally back to writing fanfiction! My laptop has been broken all summer, and I'm still waiting on a new one.**

**Anyway, most chapters will probably not be as long as the last one, since the first chapter required some extra introductory information. In fact, I actually rewrote much of the first half of that chapter, so you may want to go back and reread just to check out the changes made.**

**Thank you so much, XxStarZephunaSakuraxX, for my first review on this story! I don't think I specified this earlier, but this story will mainly contain characters from Mineral Town (FoMT/MFoMT) and Forget Me Not Valley (AWL/DS), though a few characters from other games (AP, ToTT, ANB, etc.) will make their appearances as well, so be on the lookout for them! **

**-Cotton Candy Mareep**

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Chapter 2: Like Father, Like Son

_Almost there... Just a few more steps… _

Hugh Cassidy grit his teeth and pushed himself to run harder, even though sweat was dripping freely down his forehead, into his eyes, and the muscles in his legs were practically screaming in protest.

_Ugh... Come on, pick up the pace..._

His breath came out in shallow gasps. Pumping his arms furiously, ignoring the pain in his straining calves and the uncomfortable stickiness of his shirt clinging to his sweating back, the boy managed to pick up speed as he caught sight of his father on the turn up ahead.

The older man nodded at his son as the boy came sprinting around the bend, though he kept his eyes focused on the stopwatch in his hand. "Good, good… You cut six seconds off your time, Hugh."

Six seconds. Puh-_lease_. He could do so much better than that, Hugh thought to himself. He _needed_ to do so much better than that, if anyone was to actually take him seriously.

He didn't want people to see him as just some stupid little kid, pretending to look tough, but with nothing to show for it. All bark and no bite, so to speak.

No, Hugh wanted them to see him as a Career. A _Victor_. Because that was what he was going to be, after all. It didn't matter that he was only just thirteen, or that his name was only in the Reaping twice. He knew he could do it.

Hugh Cassidy was going to _win_, and nothing was going to stop him from getting there.

Glancing up at his father, Hugh thought to himself, yet again, that he wanted to be just like him. Wally Cassidy was a Victor of a past Hunger Games, the 36th (or something like that). And he was Hugh's Hunger Games inspiration.

Wally had won his Games in the typical Career way- creating alliances with the other Careers, killing off tributes with his skill in swordplay, and eventually betraying and defeating those he had become allies with. In his prime, at the epitome of physical health, he was a cunning backstabber and a powerful force to be reckoned with. Nobody could have stood in his way. And although the effects of aging were now beginning to show on him, he was still incredibly strong and agile for his age, still had those muscles that had aided him in reaching the top nearly fifteen years ago.

Hugh had watched Wally's Games twice before, and both times he was amazed at what his father and mentor had accomplished as a teen. Wally's biggest wish was for his son to follow in his footsteps. Carry on the family glory, and all that.

One thing Hugh would be proud to do.

* * *

Hugh and his father ran all the way back to their home in the Victor's Village. His father was always helping him train, teaching him to fight with swords and knives, going on runs with him all over District Two to build up his endurance to the max. Hugh beat him to the house rather easily, and waited for him on the front steps as the older man came running to catch up to him, panting slightly.

Not five minutes later, Chris Cassidy smiled at her son as he plopped himself down at the dinner table, still sweaty from his run just moments earlier. "How was training today?"

Hugh shrugged as his mother set a plate of food down on the table in front of him. "Fine..."

His mother stared at him, quickly inspecting his appearance, one hand on her hip. "You're getting to be such a handsome young man. Look at those beautiful blue eyes!" She nodded in approval and then took a step back as Hugh stifled an eye roll. "I'm very proud of you, and I'm sure your father is as well."

"Oh, but dear, your hair is sticking up again..." she added, and then proceeded to try and pat down the blond cowlick protruding from her son's head as usual, causing him to cringe and squirm in his chair.

"Stop it, Mom... You know how my hair is; that's not going to do anything."

She looked as if she wanted to argue that idea, but was interrupted by her husband's entrance into the room before either of them could say another word.

Wally stepped up behind his son and set his hands on the boy's shoulders just as the young man began shoveling spoonfuls of potato into his mouth. A towel was draped over the older man's broad shoulders."Hugh's been doing very well...nailed all the dummies in the Training Center with that dagger we've been practicing with, and then he got his fastest times yet while we were out running afterward."

He nodded thoughtfully. "By the time he's eighteen, he'll be unstoppable. A Victor for sure."

Hugh nearly snorted into his food. Eighteen? He didn't want to wait that long. Sure, his father had been training him to compete in the Hunger Games when he turned eighteen, and not a moment before, but Hugh was Victor material n_ow_... he just needed to push himself a little harder. He could show all those other Careers just how formidable he really was, if he just set his mind to it. He had what it takes; he didn't want to wait, and let his chances to volunteer slip away...

And just imagine how impressive he would be, winning the Hunger Games at a mere thirteen years old! He would show them. The Capitol would love Hugh Cassidy.

Wally smiled down at Hugh. Not a huge smile, since he wasn't really that type, but the kind of smile that shows he's proud, if even just a little bit. "Eat up, son... you need to keep up your energy."

He narrowed his eyes at the boy slightly, as if he could see what his son was thinking and didn't especially approve of it. Chris, meanwhile, completely oblivious, beamed at him. "Well Hugh, that's lovely. You'll be just like your father in no time."

Correction- Hugh Cassidy would be even _better_ than his father.

After quickly eating a hearty supper of meat and potatoes, and downing his large glass of milk, as was customary, Hugh stretched and yawned. He had a big day tomorrow, and needed to get a full night of sleep- he couldn't show up exhausted to the Reapings. Especially not if he were to volunteer this year.

With a brisk nod, Hugh's father shrugged the towel off his shoulders and tossed it down at Hugh before retreating back to his room to wash up. His mother soon followed, leaving Hugh alone at the dinner table.

Seconds later, the doorbell rang. He heard his mother's footsteps cross the hall toward the front door, pulling it open with a creak. Some murmurings of conversation that he couldn't quite make out, and then she called out, "Hugh? It's for you!"

Hugh grinned and tossed the towel over the back of his chair, jogging into the front foyer where his mother was standing with a short, freckled brunette girl in the doorway. His best friend, Kate.

Kate was almost a full year younger than him, but she was cool. Some of the other guys at school made fun of Hugh for hanging around with a girl so often, but Kate wasn't anything like the other girls he knew, that was for sure. She had no interest in clothes or boys or gossip, all those girly things. In fact, she was constantly complaining to him about how her mother was always trying to make her wear frilly dresses or do something pretty with her hair or whatever.

Unlike most in District Two, Kate's parents did not work in the stone quarries. Rather, they lived and worked in the large market square. Though her parents therefore lacked the muscle that most people in the District took for granted, they always had more than enough money for the most trivial things, like pretty clothing and hair accessories for Kate.

Hugh knew Kate better than her own family did. She would much rather race him down the street or jump around in the mud than get all gussied up in colorful dresses and hair bows. And she was never afraid to stand up and speak her mind. That's one of the things he respected her most for; one of her qualities that really stood out to him when he first met her.

"Hey!" Hugh called out in greeting as his mother turned and wandered back into the kitchen with a smile on her face, giving the two young teens some privacy as her son gestured for Kate to come in.

"Hello, Hugh..." Her tone was guarded as she took a small step inside; he could tell that something wasn't quite right. Kate didn't normally come visit at this time of day... It was already getting dark. Kate's parents never let her out late. No doubt they had no idea about this particular visit, and Kate would be reprimanded by them upon her return home.

"So... What did you come to see me for? It's, um, kind of a weird time." He shrugged sheepishly. "...Anything in particular?"

Kate narrowed her eyes at him. Boy, could that girl read his mind like a book... He squirmed uncomfortably under her scrutinizing gaze.

"You weren't planning on volunteering for the Hunger Games, were you?"

The question took him by surprise, and he gaped at her. "Huh..."

Kate rolled her eyes, swinging her chocolate-brown braids behind her back. "You _heard_ what I said."

A strange feeling fluttered in his stomach, and Hugh realized that he was getting _nervous_. Though from the thought of entering in the Hunger Games or from Kate's presence, he couldn't tell.

"Maybe..." Hugh got the feeling that telling the girl his plans directly wasn't such a good idea. However, his evasiveness did nothing to deter her from realizing his true intentions.

He saw Kate's eyes widen, and heard a faint gasp escape from her mouth. "But, Hugh... you can't! You-You're too young!"

Hugh snorted derisively. "Too young? What are you saying?" Annoyed, he shook his head at her.

"I thought you would be _proud_ to know that your best friend, Hugh Cassidy, is going to be the Victor of the 51st Hunger Games!"

His outburst did not have the desired effect on Kate. Not at all. Instead, she pushed him away disgustedly. "You're even crazier than I thought!"

"Huh- wait... You thought I was crazy?"

Kate merely rolled her eyes. "How can you be so thick-headed?"

His heart lurched. "Don't you... don't you believe in me?"

Quickly, she turned until her back was facing him, so that he could no longer read her expression. "Of _course_ I believe in you, Hugh..."

"But what if you don't come back?" She added in a whisper, so faint he almost couldn't hear her. Hugh didn't even know if he was supposed to hear her, but responded anyway. He had never seen her act so... fragile.

"It'll be fine, Kate. More than fine, actually. I've been training... since I was born, practically. My dad's been teaching me everything. I have what it takes. I know what I'm in for, and I'm prepared to face the challenge." Hugh tried to smile confidently at her as he awkwardly put his arm over her shoulder, but it didn't work. She sighed.

"Just... be careful, okay? Promise me that, at least. Whatever you decide to do."

Hugh watched in astonishment as his best friend abruptly turned and walked back out the front door. Almost immediately, a terrible sinking feeling erupted in his stomach, planting itself down firmly and refusing to go away, even when the boy settled down for bed later that night.

As much as he hated to admit it, Hugh knew what that feeling was...

It was the sinking, prickling feeling of doubt.

* * *

**A/N: So, Hugh, Wally, and Chris might be a bit out of character here, since they just have a smaller part in the game and I honestly don't remember much about their family. I just thought it would be an interesting idea to make Hugh one of those people who train for the Hunger Games, since he's always running around town with his father in AWL, and aspires to be just like him, as I recall.**

**Also, be sure to let me know which characters you would like to see in this! Not promising anything, since most early chapters have already been written, but I still like to know what you think! Even if I haven't planned them, I still might be able to sneak a mention of them in there, haha.**

**-Cotton Candy Mareep**


	3. Young Love

**A/N: One of my shorter chapters here, which would explain why it was updated so quickly this time. Either way, I do hope you enjoy!**

**-Cotton Candy Mareep**

* * *

Chapter 3: Young Love

Their love was unexpected, to say the least.

Lumina Grace came from a wealthier family, probably one of the wealthiest in all of District Five, considering how troubled the rest of the District was. Her parents died in a freak accident at the power plant where they worked when she was very young, just a mere baby, and her wealthy grandmother took her in and cared for her ever since.

Her grandmother, Romana Grace, the Hunger Games Victor. One of District Five's _only_ Victors, and definitely the oldest, Lumina always said, but don't tell Auntie Romana she said that.

Grandma always demanded that Lumina call her 'Auntie' Romana, because 'Grandma' sounded much too old, apparently. Auntie won one of the earliest Hunger Games many years ago, and Lumina had been living in District Five's Victor's Village with her ever since she took the girl into her care, along with her dear old friend, Sebastian. The only people higher up than them in the District were perhaps the Peacekeepers from the Capitol, and the Mayor of District Five himself.

Lumina didn't know how she did it. Winning the Hunger Games, that is. She never had the courage to ask her grandmother that vital question, and in return, the old woman never felt inclined to tell her granddaughter any details. Lumina liked to think that she was able to somehow outsmart the others; she was a very quick and clever woman, without a doubt, even at this age. And though she had a feisty streak in her, Lumina could never see her heartlessly killing innocent others, like some of the tributes she had the misfortune to witness in past years.

Though you never know, just what someone might do in order to survive. Lumina greatly preferred not to think about it.

Sometimes Lumina wondered just what her life would be like if her parents were still alive, but it was difficult. She really couldn't remember a thing about her parents, and her home with Auntie Romana and Sebastian was the only life she had ever known.

On the other hand, Rock Matthews came from one of the poorer sections of District Five. He lived with his mother and father, who looked nothing like him; his thin blond hair and and bright blue eyes were undeniably attractive, but a sharp contrast to the black hair and dark eyes of his parents, Tim and Ruby.

Rock's sort-of adopted sister and friend of the family, Nami, also lived in the house, though she liked to come and go as she pleased. She was a bit of an odd young woman, antisocial though definitely intelligent, and her vivid red hair often made her stand out among the crowd, giving her greatly unwanted attention.

And, as much as Rock annoyed her sometimes, she did care for him like a brother. They were a close-knit group, and Lumina sometimes wondered what it would be like, to have a family like that. Auntie Romana was never really one for informal closeness, though no one could deny the fact that she loved her granddaughter dearly.

In short, Rock and Lumina were nothing alike. She was well-off, always had enough to eat and clean clothes to wear, quiet, gentle, relatively shy. She was never much of a people-person, though that was mainly due to her modesty from living in the Victor's Village practically all her life, and her discomfort at being an orphan.

Orphans always seemed to be ostracized from the rest of the group at school, and none of the few other orphans Lumina knew were nearly as well-off as she had always been. Rather, they lived in District Five's poor, ramshackle orphanage, barely scraping by. The very thought made Lumina feel immensely guilty, even though it wasn't at all her fault.

Instead of spending time with other girls her age, Lumina always preferred instead to play with Auntie's pet cats, or hold a tea party on her own, or practice on the grand piano in the living room. Auntie always said she had a natural talent for it. She was never an outgoing girl, though she honestly did like people in general.

Rock, meanwhile, was practically her complete opposite. He was loud and self-confident, very popular at school, with an easygoing, laid-back demeanor and an odd sense of humor. People often called him lazy and a total flirt as well, but that didn't bother Lumina, because she knew that he had room in his heart for her alone.

Yes, she was young, and so was he, but Auntie always said that age didn't matter when it came to true love. And that's what it was; you may never understand, but when Lumina was with Rock, she _knew_ that was how it should be. It's just this feeling you get.

* * *

The clock struck eight. Lumina's heart fluttered as she gently closed her bedroom door behind her and took off down the stairs, treading lightly on each step. She didn't want to wake Auntie Romana, who was a relatively light sleeper, and always early to bed. "Early to bed, early to rise," she always said. "Because the early bird catches the worm."

Nor did she want to wake Sebastian, for that matter. She didn't know whether he was awake or not, but she dearly hoped that she wouldn't find him on her way out the door that night. More likely, he would be in his bedroom at the back of the house, settling down for the evening.

You see, Auntie Romana didn't really know about the relationship between her granddaughter and Rock. It was kind of a secret. The two teenagers were just so obviously different, and while Auntie wasn't especially concerned with age when it came to love (as long as there wasn't a drastic difference), she still might not have approved of Lumina being with a lazy, flirtatious boy from the poor section of District Five. Or maybe she would, but Lumina didn't want to take any chances. She couldn't lose Rock.

The cats begin to mewl softly as the girl enter the front room, rubbing their soft, furry bodies against her legs and staring at her with those large, pitiful eyes. Probably in search of a few leftover scraps from dinner. Lumina chuckled lightly at them, and paused to pat each one on the head before exiting the house.

That's when you know you're better off than most; the Graces could afford to have _pets._ Most people in the District had trouble enough feeding themselves, much less an extra little mouth or two. But these two cats were practically family to Auntie Romana, and since they could actually afford to have them, Lumina saw nothing wrong with it, herself.

In fact, she liked having those two little furballs around. They were always a great comfort to her, particularly during the time of year when that dreaded event came by, the Reapings for the annual Hunger Games. Lumina would watch the current Hunger Games on the large television screen in the mansion with Auntie Romana and Sebastian every year, as was demanded by the Capitol, whenever she wasn't watching on the public televisions with Rock in the town square. During these times, the cats, one pure black and one tan with dark brown markings, would curl up next to her so she could hold them during the particularly gruesome or heart-wrenching scenes.

Lumina sighed, trying not to let her sinking heart discourage her. The Reapings were tomorrow. And, like always, Rock had asked her to meet him out by the empty fields near the Victor's Village, up against the electric fence that separated the District from the rest of Panem with continually flickering flashes of electricity on the metal chains. The couple had met there the day before the Reapings every year since they first met.

Lumina walked toward the fields quickly and nervously. The trip only took a matter of minutes, but she immediately felt at ease once she caught sight of Rock's yellow blond hair, striking against the dull gray of the large boulder where they always met. Her pace quickened, and she hurried to join Rock at their favorite meeting location, a smile plastered on her face.

He grinned at the small brunette in greeting, perfectly handsome as always. "Hey, Lumina."

"H-hi!" Despite her cheery exterior, the girl's voice cracked slightly as she settled down at his side, taking the time to lean against his shoulder comfortably.

Rock pulled his girlfriend closer and wrapped his arms around her. For a split-second, she felt completely safe, her worries melting away one by one.

"Took you a bit longer than usual..." Rock whispered to her, breaking the moment of peaceful silence. "For a minute there, I was afraid you weren't going to show."

Lumina giggled lightly. "Come on, Rock, don't be silly... we always meet here before the Reapings, you know that. I would never abandon you."

She paused as a frightening thought entered her mind at the mention of the Reaping, bringing all her worries back in full force. Something that she definitely didn't want to think about, but she couldn't hold her concerns back any longer.

"Rock… what if one of us is chosen in the Reaping tomorrow?"

Rock turned away from her, sweeping his long blond bangs out of his eyes with a sigh. Lumina had always urged him to cut those bangs, but he never did. "Lumina… you can't think like that. It-It won't happen."

"But, Rock-"

"_No._ No, Lumina, everything will be fine." A half-hearted smile crossed his face. "Besides, your name is only in the Reaping, what, four times total? I'm sure you'll be fine… you're not going to be chosen."

Lumina lowered my eyes, twirling a short strand of brown hair around her finger nervously. It wasn't herself that she was worried about. Rock had his name in the Reaping bowl five times this year, plus another fifteen for tesserae for himself and his mother and father. Nami would never let Rock take tesserae for her.

Rock could probably see what was going on inside the girl's mind, because he lifted her head by the chin to face him and looked at her directly, his bright blue eyes meeting her caramel brown ones.

"Lumina… listen to me. Neither of us will be Reaped tomorrow." He smiled. "Everything will be all right."

She sighed, leaning backward to rest her head against the boy's chest as he stroked her hair steadily with one hand. Rock sounded so sure that neither of their names would be selected… and she wanted to think that way, too. It was a nice idea, that maybe they would survive until they were over the age of eighteen and officially freed from the worry that they might, one day, be stolen from those who love them and sent to their deaths. It was much more likely for two other people to be Reaped, although District Five was definitely one of the smaller Districts.

But Rock seemed to swear by it.

If only Lumina could honestly believe him.

* * *

**A/N: Finally bought a new laptop, so I can actually update my stories on a schedule! Chapter 19 of my other fanfic, "Cursed", has been posted as well, if you're interested in mysteries and would like to check out my other writing. **

**Two more important characters have been introduced! I hope you enjoyed this update; feedback is always greatly appreciated! I'm thinking about starting the Reapings next chapter, which should be very interesting... there are a lot more emotional scenes and important character conversations to come, as well as a healthy dose of action, so please stay tuned!**

**-Cotton Candy Mareep**


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